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General questions relating to LSAT Logical Reasoning.
 voodoochild
  • Posts: 185
  • Joined: Apr 25, 2012
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#5579
I recently read a similar sentence in the Rolling Stones magazine. (I have changed the full content - you won't be able to google it :) )

"A band that is happy just to play bar chords in the Crossroads Guitar Festival will annoy its fans."

I think that the keyword 'just' will govern the necessary part.

HEnce, in my opinion, the diagram will be Annoy fans :arrow: play bar chords

Am I correct? Please help me.

Thanks
 moshei24
  • Posts: 465
  • Joined: Mar 20, 2012
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#5580
I would say that it's the opposite.

Just Play Barre Chords :arrow: Annoy Fans

The statement is saying that being happy just playing barre chords will annoy its fans. "Just" is telling us that they will be playing barre chords and nothing else. Without "just," it could mean that they are happy playing barre chords and then even if the play other things, they are still annoying their fans.

The way you diagrammed it says that "the only way they will annoy their fans is if they only play barre chords" or "only if they play barre chords will they annoy their fans." The actual statement is saying that "if they only play barre chords they will annoy their fans." So "only playing barre chords" is sufficient for annoying their fans. Other things can annoy the fans, as well.

Does that help?
 voodoochild
  • Posts: 185
  • Joined: Apr 25, 2012
|
#5584
Hey moshei84 --

Grammatical analysis
Not sure. Let's examine. I think we agree that we can substitute 'just' with 'only'...Let's get rid of "happy.."

Therefore, the sentence is : "A band that only play bar chords in the Crossroads Guitar Festival will annoy its fans."

The issue here is that "only" is buried inside the modifier. The meaning is different from saying "only bad that plays bar chords will annoy its fans"

Hence, I believe that diagram would be :

band that only plays bar chords :arrow: annoy its fans.

Meaning based analysis
Now, let's take off the necessary/sufficient hat.

If the band plays only bar chords, will it annoy its fans? YEs (guaranteed)

If the band is annoyed, is it that the band played only bar chords (could be)

Hence, I guess, the correct diagram would be :

play bar chords :arrow: annoy fans.

However, if we change the sentence to "only band that plays bar chords will annoy its fans" -- the diagram would be annoy its fans :arrow: band that plays bar chords.

Experts can you please confirm moshei24 and my understanding?

Thanks
Voodoo Child
Last edited by voodoochild on Sun Sep 23, 2012 6:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
 moshei24
  • Posts: 465
  • Joined: Mar 20, 2012
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#5586
Well, it would have to be just play barre chords. Playing barre chords won't for sure anger the fans. It's if they only play barre chords that they will anger the fans. If they play barre chords and other chords as well, they may or they may not anger their fans.

Make sense?

-Moshe
 voodoochild
  • Posts: 185
  • Joined: Apr 25, 2012
|
#5587
Yes - you are correct. thanks...In my second analysis, I can't get rid of "only"...Let me fix it...However, I would also wait for an expert to confirm my analysis about modifiers and meaning....let's see what experts have to say ;)

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